Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale
Anderson Valley Brewing Company
- From:
- Anderson Valley Brewing Company
- California, United States
- Style:
- Winter Warmer
Ranked #54 - ABV:
- 6.9%
- Score:
- 87
Ranked #23,227 - Avg:
- 3.87 | pDev: 13.7%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 773
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Aug 22, 2025
- Added:
- Nov 18, 2001
- Wants:
- 78
- Gots:
- 282
SCORE
87
Very Good
87
Very Good
Winter Solstice® is our take on the classic style of “winter warmer.” Boasting a deep amber hue and rich mouthfeel, its creamy finish will lift your spirits. Hints of toffee, spice, and caramel tease the senses making this the perfect ale to share with friends and family during the cold days and long nights of winter.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Rated by ttoadee from Texas
3.55/5 rDev -8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.55/5 rDev -8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
RB transfer
Aug 22, 2025
Reviewed by BJB13 from Maryland
3.62/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.62/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
12 ounce can poured into a Spiegelau wheat beer glass.
L: Clear amber-copper, lively pour, thin fizzy tan head quickly reduces to a large bubbled collar.
S: Earthy hop aroma, alcohol.
T: Earthy hops, some fruity yeast flavor, caramel malt, moderately bitter.
F: Light body, medium carbonation, mouthfeel is a little soft but mostly neutral.
O: Medoicre.
Jan 23, 2025L: Clear amber-copper, lively pour, thin fizzy tan head quickly reduces to a large bubbled collar.
S: Earthy hop aroma, alcohol.
T: Earthy hops, some fruity yeast flavor, caramel malt, moderately bitter.
F: Light body, medium carbonation, mouthfeel is a little soft but mostly neutral.
O: Medoicre.
Reviewed by based_guy from Antarctica
4.19/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
4.19/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
This is a really good beer I must say I am enjoying the hell out of it. It does lack a bit of dynamicness that you'd hope for. The alcohol is not a very pervasive note within the overall profile. It's a sneaky high ABV, and enough so that I would say it's not really sessionable. This is definitely a cold weather beer. Much better to have around a bonfire or on Christmas Morning. I could see it pairing well with food but I had it after eating. Definitely recommend picking this one up if you want a solid winter sipper.
Dec 07, 2024
Reviewed by MartyMaltose from Washington
2.66/5 rDev -31.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75
2.66/5 rDev -31.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75
I'm a winter warmer/old ale fan. I wanted to like this but the taste is just ill-conceived. Like it has coffee, pepper, vanilla, plus maybe a teaspoon of mayonnaise in there. Bleah. Drink it very cold and very quickly.
Feb 26, 2024
Reviewed by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota
3.9/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.9/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12 oz can into a Becher glass.
L: SRM 10 Pours medium reddish caramel color with a light yeast haze, a thin khaki head that recedes to edge foam, light fine carbonation, no lacing.
S: Caramelized malts, brown bread, figs, raisins, molasses, a hint of red grape.
T: Subtle dark mixed fruits, molasses, brown bread, a touch of honey, caramel malts, toasted cereal grains, figs, raisins, plum, light malty aftertaste and a relatively clean finish.
F: Moderately soft & smooth medium-bodied feel with a medium-fast finish that is very gently drying. Becomes quite smooth and lightly flat with warming.
O: Imagine a lower ABV Barleywine. That's what this beer has within its tastes. A good dose of brown bread taste and a smooth feel. Easy drinking and tasty, gently warming and malty. It is very good in its style.
Nov 10, 2023L: SRM 10 Pours medium reddish caramel color with a light yeast haze, a thin khaki head that recedes to edge foam, light fine carbonation, no lacing.
S: Caramelized malts, brown bread, figs, raisins, molasses, a hint of red grape.
T: Subtle dark mixed fruits, molasses, brown bread, a touch of honey, caramel malts, toasted cereal grains, figs, raisins, plum, light malty aftertaste and a relatively clean finish.
F: Moderately soft & smooth medium-bodied feel with a medium-fast finish that is very gently drying. Becomes quite smooth and lightly flat with warming.
O: Imagine a lower ABV Barleywine. That's what this beer has within its tastes. A good dose of brown bread taste and a smooth feel. Easy drinking and tasty, gently warming and malty. It is very good in its style.
Reviewed by BeerAndGasMasks from Virginia
3.57/5 rDev -7.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.57/5 rDev -7.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
From the can, it pours a dark reddish amber color with a very nice light tan head that slowly reduces and leaves lacing. The nose gets some roasted malts with some caramel evident. The mouth gets some roasted malts with notes of caramel.
Apr 16, 2023Reviewed by crm871 from Utah
3.71/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.71/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Look: Pours a deep burgundy with a medium white head.
Smell: I’m sensing malt, caramel, toffee, molasses.
Taste: Pretty forward on the malts and caramel but for me it worked. Not a super complex flavor, and I think it would have been better with some attempts at holiday spices , but solid flavor.
Feel: Light and easy, appropriate carbonation.
Overall: There are better holiday beers that are flashier, but this is a solid and enjoyable one at a lower price point.
Jan 02, 2023Smell: I’m sensing malt, caramel, toffee, molasses.
Taste: Pretty forward on the malts and caramel but for me it worked. Not a super complex flavor, and I think it would have been better with some attempts at holiday spices , but solid flavor.
Feel: Light and easy, appropriate carbonation.
Overall: There are better holiday beers that are flashier, but this is a solid and enjoyable one at a lower price point.
Reviewed by DavetotheB from Pennsylvania
3.03/5 rDev -21.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
3.03/5 rDev -21.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
From a 12oz can dated "21333" into a pint glass. So, if this is julian date. this is from 2021. May have gotten snookered on this one in the mix-a-six...
Pours a murky copper color with about two fingers of off-white head that dissipates quickly leaving very little lacing. Color is like a penny that isn't shiny any more.
Cinnamon, caramel and light pine on the nose.
Taste is non-distinct. Kind of a bready, malty, sweet-ish mess.
Lightly sticky, medium to full-bodied mouthfeel. Baking spice aftertaste. Low carbonation.
Well, it might be old beer. Don't know for sure based on the goofy date code. It's drinkable. I guess. If this is fresh, it's not so good.
Dec 31, 2022Pours a murky copper color with about two fingers of off-white head that dissipates quickly leaving very little lacing. Color is like a penny that isn't shiny any more.
Cinnamon, caramel and light pine on the nose.
Taste is non-distinct. Kind of a bready, malty, sweet-ish mess.
Lightly sticky, medium to full-bodied mouthfeel. Baking spice aftertaste. Low carbonation.
Well, it might be old beer. Don't know for sure based on the goofy date code. It's drinkable. I guess. If this is fresh, it's not so good.
Reviewed by WayneManor from Washington
3.76/5 rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.76/5 rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Look: Caramel, transluscent, a little hazy. Not much head
Smell: Caramel. Not a strong smell
Taste: Wow good yeast flavor almost like a trappist beer
Feel: Perfect level of carbonation for me
Overall: Solid Beer. Bahl Hornin"
Dec 16, 2022Smell: Caramel. Not a strong smell
Taste: Wow good yeast flavor almost like a trappist beer
Feel: Perfect level of carbonation for me
Overall: Solid Beer. Bahl Hornin"
Reviewed by BillAfromSoCal from California
3.62/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.62/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Caramel color, a finger of short-lived head with very little lacing. No haze, very clear. Fine carbonation rising. Caramel malts on nose and taste. To me this is a nice amber ale but I am not picking up anything that screams "seasonal ale". Somewhat of a one trick pony (caramel) which I don't find impressive since the can states " natural flavor added". I'm not getting any "seasonal" spices that I associate with the winter solstice.
Dec 13, 2022Reviewed by Mindcrime1000 from South Dakota
3.67/5 rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.67/5 rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours light amber with a decent foamy tan head. Modest lacing.
Aromas of caramel, toast, cardamom, and nutmeg. A touch of dark fruit.
The flavors are pretty complex. Skewed a little sweet, even for the style, but not cloying. It's sort of like a Festbier, with lightly toasted malts and modest but balancing grass hops, amped and mashed up with dark fruits and some judicious spice plus some earthy hop notes.
Medium bodied. Good carbonation and remarkably drinkable. Not a repeater, but it doesn't demand a sipping approach either.
A sneaky good winter warmer.
Nov 13, 2022Aromas of caramel, toast, cardamom, and nutmeg. A touch of dark fruit.
The flavors are pretty complex. Skewed a little sweet, even for the style, but not cloying. It's sort of like a Festbier, with lightly toasted malts and modest but balancing grass hops, amped and mashed up with dark fruits and some judicious spice plus some earthy hop notes.
Medium bodied. Good carbonation and remarkably drinkable. Not a repeater, but it doesn't demand a sipping approach either.
A sneaky good winter warmer.
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